Stress can boost mental alertness

New Delhi,
Wed, 17 Apr 2013NI Wire

A recent study led by a group of researchers has claimed that stress is not
that bad as it can enhance the level of alertness and performance.

"You always think about stress as a really bad thing, but it's not," said
Daniela Kaufer, associate professor of integrative biology at the University of
California-Berkeley. "Some amounts of stress are good to push you just to the
level of optimal alertness, behavioural and cognitive performance."

The recent research by Kaufer and UC-Berkeley post-doctoral fellow Elizabeth
Kirby has revealed exactly how acute stress, only short-lived, not chronic
triggers the brain for improved performance.

While studying on rats, the researchers found that significant, but brief
stressful events caused stem cells in their brains to propagate into new nerve
cells that, when becomes mature in two weeks, enhanced the rats' mental
performance, reports Science Daily.

"I think intermittent stressful events are probably what keeps the brain more
alert, and you perform better when you are alert," she said.